Articella

ficationreferring to the classification of medical signs are of two modes. Some are substantial, others are accidental. The substantial are, for example: heat, cold, dryness, and moistening. The accidental, however, either signify through touch, such as hard or soft; or through sight, such as colored; or through the perfection of powers, such as full and perfect operations.

¶ On the signs of the official members.

The signification of the illnesses of official members referring to organs with specific physiological functions are similarly of two modes: namely, substantial and accidental. The substantial significations are four: art, mode, number, and composition. The accidental significations are likewise four: good, bad, perfect, and imperfect.

¶ On the genera of significations.

There are three genera of significations that perfect their own genus. Some signify a past matter that has already passed, and these are called cognitive or agnitive meaning recognition-based: for instance, seeing a humid body, we recognize that sweat preceded it. Others signify present things, which are called by Galen demonstrative, and are recognized through signs, just as when a large and quick pulse is found, we understand that it signifies an exceeding heat. There are others that signify the future, and recognition precedes this: just as when we see the lower lip twitching, we perceive that vomiting is about to occur, which after it has happened is called a processive signification. But there is a distinction between significations and accidents, because there is a division with augmentation between them. If you wish to scrutinize each one of these divisions, each has one condition: for the sick, these are accidents; for the physician, however, they are significations.

¶ On the signs of accidents and their number.

Accidental significations are therefore three. One is the altered operative power, such as indigestion. Another is the altered quality of the body, such as jaundice. Another is that which exits from the body, such as black urine.

¶ On the alteration of operative power.

The alteration of operative power is threefold. Either it is total, such as indigestion. Or it is partial, such as darkness of the eyes or slow digestion. Or it is from one quality into another, such as from good digestion into smoky or acidic [digestion], or as if a fly or wood were appearing in the eyes, or [it is a change] from a part of vision or [a state of] darkness.

¶ On the modes of the alteration of quality.

The signification of the altered quality of the body occurs in four modes. Either through sight, such as jaundice or morphea a skin discoloration/lesion, and the blackness of the tongue and similar things. Or through smell, such as fetid breath, or sweat, or a polyp, or the smell of a goat referring to strong axillary odor, and similar things. Or through taste, such as false, bitter, or acidic. Or through touch, such as soft and hard.

¶ On those things exiting from the body.

The signification of that which exits from the body is twofold: one with sound, the other without sound. With sound, such as belching of the mouth, or rumbling of the intestines, or wind through the anus. That which is without an unnatural sound is had in three ways. One by quantity, such as lienteria a form of diarrhea with undigested food. Another by quality, such as black urine. Another by both, such as a flow of blood.

¶ On the motion of members.